New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton recently bared his bold plans to create a home-field advantage for his team heading to the 2020 NFL Playoffs. He suggested testing and quarantining 50,000 people in a hotel in order to have fans in attendance at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday, per Luke Johnson.
Full quote: "I brought up the idea of testing 50,000 people and quarantining them in a hotel and having the most safest Superdome known to man, scientifically. Bus them, they've tested every day, and you've got a COVID-free facility." (this was said in jest … I think)
— Luke Johnson (@ByLukeJohnson) January 6, 2021
The Saints previously fell victim to the COVID-19 pandemic as ball-carrier Alvin Kamara tested positive for the virus a week ago. His contraction eventually caused the entire running back group to be tagged as close contacts which forced them to sit out their Week 17 tilt.
Despite not having most of their weapons, the Saints still dominated the Carolina Panthers en route to a 33-7 victory. With the win, the Saints concluded their regular season campaign as NFC South divisional champions with a 12-4 record.
Kamara and company are set to rejoin the team once they continue to test negative for the virus leading to the game on Sunday. Wide receiver Michael Thomas is also expected to return on the field after missing the team's last three games due to a nagging ankle injury.
Meanwhile, the Saints are heading to the playoffs with the No. 2 seed in the NFC bracket and have arranged a matchup with the No. 7 seeded Chicago Bears in the Wild Card round.
Despite being the favorites in the opening round proceedings, the Saints can't afford to be complacent heading to the matchup. Their opponents in the Bears are still capable of pulling off surprises even with their subpar 8-8 record in the regular season.
Even without fans in attendance, the Saints are still aiming to put on a show as they look to open their playoff run with a statement win against the Bears on Jan. 10.
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